Posted on 08/10/2015 8:07:54 PM PDT by VinL
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday warned that the Republican presidential candidates who are slamming Donald Trump do so at their political peril.
Cruz’s remarks, which came during an interview with POLITICO as he swings through the South on a bus tour, are among the most detailed comments to date regarding his reluctance to criticize the real estate mogul, who is currently leading the polls in the GOP primary.
“I would … note that an awful lot of Republicans, including other Republican candidates, have gone out of their way to smack Donald Trump with a stick. Now I think that’s just foolish,” he said.
Asked why, Cruz paused and then replied, “Donald Trump had a rally in Phoenix, Ariz. [to which] between 10 and 20 thousand people came out. When you attack and vilify the people at that rally as crazies, it does nothing to help Republicans win in 2016. I’d like every single person at that rally to show up and vote in 2016, knock on doors with energy and passion, and turn this country around. If Washington politicians show contempt and condescension to those [voters,] that is a path to losing at the ballot box.”
And when asked whether he wants those voters to eventually support him, he replied, “It is my hope to earn the support of the supporters for every other candidate in 2016.”
In contrast to most of the other Republican presidential contenders, Cruz has refrained from directly condemning Trump for making comments targeted at prisoners of war and at women, even as he has indicated he doesn’t agree with the sentiments. He has said that he doesn’t want to engage in “Republican-on-Republican violence.”
When a reporter noted that he is one of the most outspoken critics of Republican leadership in Congress, Cruz stressed that he has no problem highlighting policy differences, and may do so down the road with Trump.
“There are no doubts that there are policy differences between me and Donald Trump’s past policy positions,” Cruz said.
For example, Trump drew fire from other Republicans — though not from Cruz — when during the first GOP presidential debate last week he appeared to take a favorable view of single-payer health care in other countries.
“There may well come a time in this conversation where we discuss those differences more fully,” he continued. “No one is asking about tax policy. [The media] wants me to comment on the salacious back-and-forth, and I’m not going to play that game.”
Instead, he was quick to praise Trump for bringing the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront. Cruz, who takes a tough line on illegal immigration, may have crossover appeal to some of the same voters who are turning out for Trump, an anti-illegal immigration hardliner who has made highly controversial comments about undocumented immigrants.
“I am grateful to Donald Trump for forcing the media to talk about illegal immigration,” he said. “Illegal immigration is a tremendously important challenge facing this country, and it is an issue where I have been leading the fight for many years.”
Quote: “I heard Laura too. She was dead on with this one”
The snobbery from Charles Lane was exactly as Laura put it, maddening. The guy was trying to lump Ted Cruz in with Trump to marginalize him. Ole Chuck was at a loss as to how anyone couldn’t see that Trump was not worthy of support since the inside the Beltway bunch thought he was a clown.
Our media needs comeuppance and in an hurry. The American people, at this point, see it and want it. That is why, in my opinion, Trump is doing so well. He is sticking his middle finger up at the media, the pundits and political correctness. Not sure if that is an agenda to govern the country by, but it sure does plow the field.
Meanwhile, in meek little Rove land, Jeb is busy apologizing for living and begging for votes. And that is the guy they are trying to push on us.
Exactly what I’ve been saying.. Why can’t people use some common sense?
Sage advice from the classiest guy in the race.
FioRINO is trying to fool everyone with her campaign conservatism...its clear though she is establishment through and through.
Bingo!
I agree with you.
Gave my quarterly already.
“Pretty good without a prompter.”
Lots of youtube videos out there of Cruz speaking off the cuff answering questions. Very smooth, well versed, knowledgable. Some of it obviously is rehearsed for probably subjects. Others (most?) I think he just knows his position and knows the reasons why he has that position.
His speech at Liberty college was all done by memory.
Neither of them is dumb. Megyn Kelly isn't dumb. Yet they all seem as disconnected from conservative reality as a typical leftist pundit. All three have damaged their own careers, and for what? Their opposition to Trump may actually have helped his candidacy.
Sorry, you can't fight fire with "civility."
“Cruz has refrained from directly condemning Trump for making comments targeted at prisoners of war and at women”
Actually Ted was wrong, McLame was castigated mainly for what he’s done to the country since he returned from Hanoi. and al lot of people would argue that Rosie O’Donnell is not what most would call a woman!
I believe the following (H/T to dragnet2) reveals the real Trump and plausibly explains why the political uniparty establishment fear him so much:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRbtf2UFcmc
Krauthammer’s biggest problem is a common one: his contempt for anyone who doesn’t agree with him.
I meant conservativejoy was pretty good without a prompter.
She was interviewed on TV after seeing Cruz. ;-)
But Cruz is too. Watched the Red State speech. Good!!
Yes, this is what Cruz, Rand and others have been fighting in the Senate. Meadows and others are fighting in the House.
They were fighting before Trump came along. His voice is a definite benefit, as he gets the stage by being outrageous.
Absolutely, kudos to senator Cruz for following Reagan’s 11th commandment.
“Krauthammer’s biggest problem is a common one: his contempt for anyone who doesn’t agree with him.”
You know one of the best things about having Trump in the mix is that we are seeing the true colors of supposedly “conservative pundits.” I always thought George Will was a bed wetter, but the revelations about Krauthammer, Eriksson and others has been most illuminating. And we also see confirmation that people like Laura Ingram are the real deal. “The Herd” is definitely being thinned in the media too.
I don’t think it is so much about party as it is about allegiance to the United States.
Democrats, GOPe = uniparty, America haters/Globalists
Chamber of Commerce = donors, America haters/bilderberg
Media = Marxists
Me too. We are good!!!! (Pat ourselves on the back!)
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